Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2010-11: Brendan Perlini skated for the Belle Tire bantam AAA team in suburban Detroit after playing his youth hockey in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He scored 18 goals with 17 assists and had 17 penalty minutes in 31 games.

2011-12: Perlini was the second-leading scorer for the Belle Tire U16 midget team. He scored 21 goals with 23 assists and had 20 penalty minutes in 40 regular season games. Belle Tire finished first in the Tier 1 Elite league’s Great Lakes Division Perlini scored 4 goals with 3 assists in seven playoff games. He was selected by the Barrie Colts in the first round (16th overall) of the 2012 OHL Priority Draft.

2012-13: Perlini began his first OHL season with Barrie before being obtained by Central Division rival Niagara in January in a mid-season trade. He scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was -6 with 4 penalty minutes in 32 games in limited ice time with the first-place Colts before the trade to the fourth-place IceDogs. He scored 7 goals with 3 assists and was -15 with 4 penalty minutes in 27 games with Niagara. The IceDogs reached the playoffs despite finishing under .500 and Perlini scored 1 goal with 2 assists and 4 penalty minutes in the five game series with Oshawa.

2013-14: Perlini attended Hockey Canada’s U18 camp but did not play in the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament before returning to Niagara for his first full season with the IceDogs. He was an assistant captain for the Canada U18 team at the 2014 World Junior Championship. Perlini was the second-leading scorer for the IceDogs behind Maple Leafs’ prospect Carter Verhaeghe. He scored a team-leading 34 goals with 37 assists and was -2 with 36 penalty minutes in 58 regular season games. Niagara finished fourth in the Central Division, taking North Bay to seven games in a first-round playoff series. Perlini had 1 assist and was -2 with 6 penalty minutes in seven playoff games. He scored 3 goals with 1 assist and was +2 with 6 penalty minutes in seven games for Canada at the U18 WJC. Canada finished third, defeating Sweden, 3-1, in the bronze medal game. Perlini was ranked eighth amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting’s final rankings and was selected by Phoenix in the first round (12th overall) in the 2014 NHL Draft.

2014-15: Perlini signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Coyotes in July 2014 and attended his first NHL training camp with the Coyotes before returning to Niagara for his third OHL season. He made his pro hockey debut with the Portland Pirates in the AHL playoffs following his junior season. In four games in the Pirates’ first-round series against eventual Calder Cup champion Manchester he scored his first professional goal, his only point, and was -1 with no penalties. Perlini was an assistant captain for the IceDogs as an 18-year-old. Despite not making his season debut until December 4th due to a hand injury suffered in Arizona’s training camp, he was tied for second on Niagara with 26 goals and had 34 assists in 43 regular season games, finishing +15 with 22 penalty minutes. The IceDogs finished third in the Central Division and advanced to the second round in the playoffs. Perlini scored 7 goals with 5 assists and was +1 with 7 penalty minutes in 11 playoff games.

Talent Analysis

Perlini’s primary assets are his speed and puck skills. He has tremendous hands and displays
offensive savviness, consistently finding the soft spots in the offensive zone where he can redirect shots and cash in on rebounds. Perlini’s size is his secondary asset. He uses his size and strength to absorb and work through body contact. If he learns to be assertive with his size on the forecheck, his production could explode.

Future

Perlini attended Canada's U20 development camp and will participate in his second training camp with the Coyotes. Barring any surprises, he will return to Niagara for his fourth OHL season in 2015-16 since he is too young to play in the AHL. He is still in the mix to play for Canada's U20 team and an appearance in the 2016 World Junior Championships would be an excellent experience for him. Perlini projects to being a strong two-way forward with a willingness to go into hard areas to score at the NHL level.

The team representing Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championship (WJC) will arrive as the defending champions. The current group will also be pegged as a pre-tournament favorite. However, the group looks to be in tough to repeat as gold medalists. Read more»

Photo: In his third season with the Sudbury Wolves, Arizona Coyotes prospect Kyle Capobianco continues to improve his decision-making and lead a young squad (courtesy of Terry Wilson/CHL Images)

The Arizona Coyotes had a number of prospects who racked up accolades through the first quarter of the 2015-16 season, including quite a few who are playing in the CHL this year. Three Coyotes prospects are among the top 15 scorers in the OHL, another one is in the top-five in the QMJHL, and the team’s WHL contingent has provided valuable leadership.

Photo: Moose Jaw Warriors forward and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Brayden Point currently leads the WHL in scoring with 16 goals and 39 points in 16 games (courtesy of Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

The Hockey’s Future ranking of the Top 50 NHL prospects for the Fall of 2015 is now in the books, but there is still the group of 10 honorable mentions that should receive their due. At least a few of these players could arguably have been included in the lower reaches of the main list, and they may well find their way onto the Spring list in early 2016 once prospects on the main list have graduated. Read more»

Photo: 2015’s third overall pick Dylan Strome becomes the Arizona Coyotes top prospect after winning the OHL scoring title in his draft season (courtesy of Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Another season in the bottom-half of the standings led to another quality NHL Entry Draft for Arizona Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney and his staff. The team also made a pair of high-profile trades at the 2015 trade deadline, adding depth to a club that already boasted one of the best prospect pools in the league. Read more»

Photo: Nashville Predators prospect Steve Moses (#14) is competing for the United States at the 2015 IIHF World Championship (courtesy of Robert Hradil/EQ Images/Icon Sportswire)

While the game of hockey originated with two 1/8th inch blades of steel strapped to two feet, it has evolved to welcome generations of different types of athletes that deserve recognition in their own right. In this week’s Prospect Impressions, Neil Doef makes a heartwarming surprise appearance, while Declan Farmer and the United States sledge hockey team vied for another medal. The United States is also participating in the World Championship, and a former defector showed why he recently earned an NHL contract. In the AHL, a trio of prospects produced must-see individual efforts. concluding a fantastic week of highlights! Read more»